Plague censer bearer
A plague censer bearer is a type of troop in the Skaven army. 2nd edition In the second edition, plague censers cost 30 points. They were models mounted on 1" radius bases that were concealed within units of skaven troops. Once the unit came within 8" of an enemy the censers were automatically released and moved 2D6" in a direction chosen by the player. Any regiment moved over by the censer bearer suffers D6 automatic venom hits with no saving throw and no chance to fight back. In subsequent turns, the model moves another 2D6" but this time in a random direction determined by a D12 roll, and the hits caused are Strength 5. If a double is rolled for movement, or if the censer bearer moves into a building, a wooded area or an obstacle then it is killed. 3rd edition In the third edition, plague censer bearers cost 40 points and were hidden in other skaven units. An army could have upto 6 censer bearers. Special rules * The rules for censer bearers are the same as in the second edition, except all hits (first movement and subsequent) are at Strength 4. * An immunity from poison allows victims of censer bearers to avoid damage. * Skirmishing units and individual models not associated with units may attempt to dive out of the way of a censer bearer, which is essentially a saving throw of 5 or 6 on a D6. * No units may move over censer bearers, unless the bearers are released from their unit due to being charged. * They may be targeted by missile troops, but have a -1 "to hit" modifier. 4th edition In the fourth edition, plague censer bearers cost 15 points. Special rules * Shooting: The billowing clouds of vapour surrounding Censer Bearers makes them difficult targets to shoot at, hence the normal -1 to hit modifier for shooting at skirmishers is doubled up to -2 when shooting at Plague Censer Bearers. * Formation: Plague Censer Bearers always fight in a loose, skirmishing formation as described in the rules for skirmishers in the Warhammer rulebook. This is because the foul fumes of their censers form a poisonous cloud around each Skaven, making it difficult and disadvantageous to fight in a closely packed formation. * Frenzy: Plague Censer Bearers are fanatical devotees of Clan Pestilens, driven to acts of insane bravado by the excitement of battle. Plague Censer Bearers are affected by the rules for frenzy given in the Warhammer rulebook. * Hatred: Censer Bearers are affected by the rules for hatred given in the Warhammer rulebook. This means they take all Break tests as if they had a Leadership of 10, they can reroll any misses on the first round of combat and must always pursue a fleeing foe. * Combat: In close combat the Plague Censer is wielded like a flail. In addition, the swinging censer creates a 1" radius Fog of Death around the bearer. Roll a D6 for any models inside this area at the start of the close combat phase, and if the roll is higher then the model's Toughness value the bubonic vapours overcome the model and inflict 1 wound. A roll of 6 always causes a wound on a model, regardless of Toughness. No armour saving throw is possible as the vapours penetrate any defence. Note that the Censer Bearer must make this test himself, for even Skaven are not immune, but they are more resistant and are only overcome on the roll of 6. Astute readers will realise that it is a very good plan to keep your Censer Bearers at least 1" apart and away from other Skaven to avoid accidentally poisoning your own troops. * Plague monks: Plague Censer Bearers always fight alongside a unit of Plague Monks. Censer Bearers must remain within 6" of their Plague Monk unit until they charge into combat. If the Plague Monk unit flees or is affected by psychology, the Censer Bearers are also affected in exactly the same way. If the Censer Bearers are called upon to make a Leadership test for combat or psychology, then they may use the Leadership value of their Plague Monk unit, assuming it is still within 6". 6th edition In the sixth edition, plague censer bearers cost 17 points each. Special rules * Skirmishers * Frenzy * Hatred * Disciples: Each unit of Censer Bearers must be deployed at least 6" from the plague monk unit in which it is included and must remain within 8cm of it until it declares its first charge. After the first charge (whether successful or not), the censer bearers will be overcome by bloodlust, and from that moment on, their unit will be able to move independently. 7th edition In the seventh edition, plague censer bearers cost 16 points each. Special rules * Scurry Away! * Strength in Numbers * Frenzy * Hatred * Skirmish * Disciples: These rabid disciples draw fanaticism from the presence of their Clan Pestilens brethren, the Plague Monks. A unit of Plague Censer Bearers that is within 6" of a unit of Plague Monks may use the rank bonus of the Plague Monks to modify their own leadership. If the Censer Bearers are within 12" of a Plague Furnace they are Stubborn. * Plague Censer The Plague Censer is a Warpstone Weapon and counts as a flail with the following additional rules: At the beginning of any Close Combat phase all models (friend or foe) in base contact with one or more models bearing a plague censer must take a Toughness test or suffer a single wound with no armour save allowed. This means that a model need only take a single such Toughness test in each round of combat, regardless of the number of plague censers that it might be adjacent to. Remember all such wounds count for combat resolution. Wounds caused by the fog are resolved before Impact Hits, issuing challenges, and revealing assassins. All Clan Pestilens models suffer a wound only on a roll of 6.